Simple Breakfast Casserole

a casserole dish with sausage breakfast casserole with a piece removed

5 from 13 votes

This cheesy breakfast casserole recipe is irresistible for weekend brunch or at the holidays! It's big on flavor, has very few ingredients, and is a great make-ahead breakfast.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: breakfast casserole, hashbrown casserole

Servings:

Author: Natasha Bull

Ingredients

20 ounces shredded hash brown potatoes see note
1 pound pork sausage see note
1/2 medium onion chopped
1/2 red bell pepper chopped
1/2 green bell pepper chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
12 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach chopped (optional)
2 cups grated cheddar divided

Instructions

Thaw the hash brown potatoes in a colander (you can let them sit on your counter for an hour or so or thaw them in the fridge overnight).
Once the potatoes are thawed, transfer them to a 9x13 casserole dish. Preheat your oven to 375F and move the rack to the top third of the oven.
In a skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks (about 8-10 min). Transfer it to the casserole dish and leave the remaining fat in the skillet (but if it's more than 1-2 tablespoons, drain the excess). If the pan is looking dry, add a tablespoon or so of olive oil.
Add the onion, bell peppers, and garlic to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, then transfer to the casserole dish.
In a large prep bowl, add the eggs, half-and-half, and salt. Whisk until just combined, then stir in the chopped spinach and half the cheese.
Pour the egg mixture into the casserole dish and toss everything together then smooth into an even layer.
Top with the rest of the cheese.
Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until the edges start to brown and the middle is set (insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean, it's done). Don't cook for too much longer than needed as the egg will dry out.
Let it cool for a few minutes prior to cutting and serving. Season individual portions with extra salt & pepper if needed.

Notes

If the hash browns are still slightly frozen, you should be ok, just ensure there's no large frozen clumps. You may sub shredded hash browns for the diced kind.
Use any kind of uncooked pork sausage. Italian sausage works as does breakfast sausage. I used Johnsonville Mild Italian for this recipe. Use either ground sausage meat or buy sausages and take the meat out of the casings.
Depending on portion size and what else it's served with, it serves 8-12. See blog post for freezing and make ahead tips!
This recipe is also on page 193 of the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.

Nutrition